Dr Liam Maguire School of Computing & Intelligent Systems Faculty of Engineering Magee Campus, University of Ulster

The Faculty of Engineering One of the largest in the UK and Ireland –Approximately 5000 students, 422 total staff Based at Jordanstown, Magee, Coleraine Attracts large income in Research and Consultancy Range of expertise: Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics, Computing and Games Range of collaborative programmes with Arts: Multimedia Computing & Design; Technology & Design Engineering can provide technical “know-how” and design innovation

School of Computing & Intelligent Systems 27 academic staff Approximately 600 students Research via Intelligent Systems Research Centre –Attracting substantial research funding –International Reputation for Bio-Inspired Computing Courses in Computing, Electronics, Multimedia and Computer Games.

Dedicated to research and development of “intelligent computational systems”. –Behave in a way that humans would consider “intelligent” Emulate (not replicate) biology Broad range of application areas – industry, consumer, medical, educational etc 20 academic staff 8 Research Associates Currently 31 PhD students Major externally funded projects - currently working on projects of about £22million

Overview of ISRC Core Activities Bio-inspired Intelligent Systems – Brain Modeling Brain Computer Interfacing Wireless sensor and location based services Creative technologies Serious Games Intelligent Multimedia Intelligent embedded microcontroller systems Self-repairing systems Re-configurable computing/FPGA systems Intelligent Image processing Cognitive Robotics Human Computer and Human Robot Interaction

Examples of Current/Recent Externally Funded Projects Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Systems – InvestNI/ILEX SenseMaker - EU Intelligent Systems in Process Control – CAST project (Seagate) InterWave – North/South HEA Funded ProculTech – InvestNI funded Intelligent Imaging – EPSRC funded Wireless Broadband Project – DETI/EU funded EpiCentre – Interreg funded EURON – EU funded DIESEL – EPSRC funded QUDOS –EU funded SRIF 2 and 3 – HEFCE funded Intelligent Diagnosis, Test and Repair – industry funded Self-repairing Systems – industry funded PhD Completed/Current 3 Fusion and 6 KTPs

Computing Power Courtesy: Moravec

Thoughts, Images, Visual & Auditory Stimuli Neuronal Activity (firing) EEG Amplification Digitisation Feature Extraction/ Selection Classification / Translation Algorithm Output Control Signals External Devices Prosthetic Arm Feedback to help user adapt- optional Cursor control, menu selection, writing BCI

EpiCentre Electronics Production and Innovation Centre –Solving practical industrial problems –Access to specialised equipment –Access to expertise –Networking Centre –Knowledge Centre –Signposting Critical role of further and higher education institutes on both sides of border

EURON – European Robotics Network

From Walled City to Wireless City Broadband Flagship Project Partners: Derry City Council University of Ulster, Faculty of Engineering, Magee North West Institute for Further and Higher Education Funded by: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Total project ~ £1.4 Million) via EU BSP Wireless Demonstration Centre

HEIF Project with Banjax Studios Animation company Researchers in Image Processing – Motion Capture hand gestures to control motion of 3D characters Investigate use of optical flow techniques in animation Funded via MIDAS and HEIF8

FUSION Project: Meedja Games Company in Dundalk Fusion project RFID location sensitive technologies Final application: Supply Chain Management Developed 2 prototype games –Noughts and Crosses, Treasure Hunt Aim to develop middleware for 3 rd parties

FUSION Project: Meedja Games Company in Dundalk Fusion project RFID location sensitive technologies Final application: Supply Chain Management Developed 2 prototype games –Noughts and Crosses, Treasure Hunt Aim to develop middleware for 3 rd parties

Games: Instinct Technology Instinct Technology based in Donegal 20+ Employees (Games & Tools) Expanding into Northern Ireland - new production studio based in Derry Varsity partnership with SCIS – Instinct Studio Exploit Tools for teaching and research Potential KTP application Aim to secure R&D funding for AI in games

PIXELearning UK games based learning company Specialises in applying computer game and simulation technologies to: –Vocational training –Management skills development Have submitted two joint funding proposals Discussing future collaborations –KTPs AND Joint funding opportunities for R&D projects Develop serious game applications and license remote experimentation capability

PIXELearning UK games based learning company Specialises in applying computer game and simulation technologies to: –Vocational training –Management skills development Have submitted two joint funding proposals Discussing future collaborations –KTPs AND Joint funding opportunities for R&D projects Develop serious game applications and license remote experimentation capability

SoFI: Song Form Intelligence Jonathan Doherty, Kevin Curran & Paul Mc Kevitt Error Concealment for Streaming Music Across Wireless Bursty Networks Aims to repair dropouts in wireless music streams Uses self-similarity to repair missing segments Utilises MPEG-7 description scheme for analysis and data reduction Accuracy is a ‘Best Effort’ matching approach

SoFI: Song Form Intelligence Jonathan Doherty, Kevin Curran & Paul Mc Kevitt Error Concealment for Streaming Music Across Wireless Bursty Networks Aims to repair dropouts in wireless music streams Uses self-similarity to repair missing segments Utilises MPEG-7 description scheme for analysis and data reduction Accuracy is a ‘Best Effort’ matching approach

3D authoring tools, existing 3D & character models visual knowledge (3D graphic library) Prefabricated objects (knowledge base) Script writer Script parser Natural Language Processing Text To Speech Sound effects Animation generation Synchronizing & fusion 3D world with audio in VRML Natural language stories Language knowledge mapping lexicon grammar semantic representations visual knowledge Research into Automated StoryTelling

3D authoring tools, existing 3D & character models visual knowledge (3D graphic library) Prefabricated objects (knowledge base) Script writer Script parser Natural Language Processing Text To Speech Sound effects Animation generation Synchronizing & fusion 3D world with audio in VRML Natural language stories Language knowledge mapping lexicon grammar semantic representations visual knowledge Automated StoryTelling

What is possible? Scottish Computer Games industry: –Catalyst games course at Univ of Abertay –Started around –Cluster of games companies around Dundee –Employs nearly 1000 people –Estimated £50m turnover last year –SDA also supporting start-ups in other cities –Host National Dare-to-be-Digital competition Creative Technology Centre in North-west?

Current Engineering contribution Range of taught programmes – educated workforce Visiting Prof in Computer Games funded by Royal Academy of Engineering Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Systems –Increased AI in Games, Serious Games Ongoing research in Intelligent Multimedia Contribute to proposal for Creative Technology Centre Exploit existing tech transfer mechanisms to support industry

Intelligent Systems